Match-machine.



No. 803,158. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON.'

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEBTS-SHBET 1.

1 To.803.158v PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETSSHEET 2.

No. 803,158. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 3111.29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 3 mlmsw. a. mum covv PMoro-umomnmzns. wAsnmcvou. a c.

PATENTBD OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVER SON. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEBT 4-.

ANDREW a. 0mm: cu.. FNOIu-LIYWOGRAPNERS, wnsmuamu. n cy No. 803,158.PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. G. EVERSON. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

m M Q Jftarn eys.

PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON. MATCH MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

Aflorneys.

No. 803,158. PATENTED o'c'r. 31,1905.

- G. BVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE. APPLICATION rum) M529. 1904 14 SHEETS-SHEETS.

WITNESSES: m VENZIOR.

M wmw PATENTED OUT. 31, 1905.

G. BVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

Attam eys.

lNDRiW. a. mum cm. nmmumoommms. WABNVNGIDN n. c.

PATBNTED OCT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

ms 3 N WJT/VESSES ANDREW, B. anmm con mow-Lmocmnqins; WASHINGTON. 0 c.

No. 803,158. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. G. EVERSON. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

PATENTED OUT. 31, 1905.

G. EVERSON.

MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

Attom ays.

anew, a. onuuu ca. mommhoanmczas. Wlsnmmou. n. o.

No. 803,158. PATBNTED 001". 31, 1905.

, e.- EVERSON. MATCH MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1904.

14 SHEBTS-SHEBT 14.

III"; A MW WIJI/VES SES.

$3M} KwMQJ v ANDREW a mumu c0 FHGYO'LYYMOGMPNERS. wnsumevow, u tryUNITED sTATEs FFIGE.

GEORGE EvERsON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNOR TO THE EvERsONCONTINUOIIs MATCH MACHINE 00., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A COR- PORATION OFMICHIGAN.

MATCH-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE EvERsON, acitizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and-State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMatch-Machines, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in match-making machinery of theclass in which a continuous carrier chain formed of connected plates isemployed for receiving and holding the match-splints during theoperation of converting the same into finished matches; and the objectof the invention is to provide a carrier-chain of this characterarranged to perform its function of conveying the splints through theseveral stages of their manufacture without a break in the continuity ofthe cycle of operation from the sticking of the splints into said chainto the removing of the finished matches therefrom and also to providethe several machines for handling and converting the splints intofinished matches, all so arranged as to operate in conjunction with thecontinuously-moving chain with despatch and accuracy. These machinesconsist of a machine for inserting the splints in the chain or asticking-machine, suitable machinery for converting the splints into thefinished matches or the dipping and drying machines, and the machine forremoving the finished matches from the chain or the unloader, each ofwhich machines operates independently of the others except as they areconnected by the carrier-chain, and thus cooperate to automatically turnout the finished product.

A further object of the invention is to so arrange and construct thesticking-machine and operate the same in conjunction with the carrierchain that the machine ,may be stopped without interfering with theoperation of the carrier and so that whole sections of the chain arefilled at one time, the chain being so arranged that the section beingfilled may be held from moving during the short space of tiinein whichthe splints are being inserted.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an unloading-machinewhich operates in timed relation to the movement of the carrierSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 29, 1904. Serial No. 191,101.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

and operates to accurately and intermittently feed the chain past theends of the reciprocating fingers; and the invention particularlyrelates to the various new and novel features in the construction,arrangement, and operation of the machines, considered separately asparts of a system in which a carrier-chain formed of hinged plates isused, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatical viewshowing the whole system, the path of the carrierchain, and the positionand relation of the different machines to each other and to the chain.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sticking-machine; Fig. 3, a sideelevation of the opposite side of the same; Fig. 4, an end elevation ofthe same. Fig. 5 is a detail showing additional means for driving thecarrier-chain. Fig. 6 is a section of the lower portion of the machineon the line 00 w of Fig. 4.- Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail showing thereceiver, carriage, and adjacent parts partially in transverse sectionwith the receiver raised. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view similar to that ofFig. 6 with parts broken away to show the construction and also showingthe parts in other positions from that in which they are shown in Fig.6. Fig 9 is a side elevation of the hopper and mechanism fortransferring the splints from said hopper to the magazine, shown on anenlarged scale. a section of the same on the line 2 z of Fig. '11,showing the hopper, transfer-boxes, and mechanism for operating theboxes in end elevation. Fig. 11 is a section of the same on the line tow of Fig. 10; Fig. 12, a rear elevation of one side of the same. Fig. 13is a detail showing a front elevation of the transfer-box lowering andoperating mechanism with the box-doors closed; Fig. 14, a similar viewshowing the box-doors open; Fig. 15, a section on the line 4) o of Fig.13. Fig. 16 is a detail showing the swinging magazine in elevation withparts broken away to show the construction. Fig. 17 is an enlargedsectional detail of the same. Fig. 18 is a detail showing a sideelevation of the swinging magazines and means for vibrating the same.Fig. 19 is a detail showing an end elevation of the upper ends of themagazines and adjacent parts; Fig. 20, a similar detail showing Fig. 10is a transverse section of the same; Fig. 21, the

same showing a section on the line y g of Fig. 20 of one side of therear or receiving magazine. Fig. 22 is a detail showing a side elevationof one of the transfer-boxes with the middle portion of the box brokenaway to shorten the figure andshowing the doors of one end open. Fig. 23is a plan view of the same. Fig. 24 is an end elevation of the same withthe doors open. Fig. 25 is a side elevation of the unloadingmachine;Fig. 26, a vertical section of the same; Fig. 27, a front elevationthereof. Fig. 28 is an enlarged detail illustrating the manner in whichthe main carrier is engaged and guided by the auxiliary carrier of theunloading-machine and showing an edge elevation of said carrier and thewheel of the auxiliary carrier, and Fig. 29 is a detail showing aportion of the auxiliary carrier and worm for moving the same inelevation.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, this system of match-making consistsin the particular arrangement and combination of machines, as follows:

A is the main carrier-chain, formed of hingeconnected plates, into holesin which the splints, which are previously cutand supplied, are stuck bythe sticking-machine B as said chain passes therethrough. From thesticking-machine the splints are carried by' the chain over a suitableheater G and on to a paraffin-tank D, where they are dipped and thenpassed on to the composition-rolls E. The chain after passing thecomposition-rolls passes around the sprockets F and backward a shortdistance to bring the splints at the upper side of the-chain in avertical position for a short time to allow the composition to settledown on the ends of the splints before it becomes hard and then passesover the sprockets F and upward to the sprockets G, journaled onbrackets on the ceiling. A suitable supporting-frame G is provided forthe sprockets G at a distance above the machines 0, D, and E, and thecarrier-chain passes up and down over the sprockets G and Gr throughoutthe length of the room or as far as necessary for the matches to travelbefore they are thoroughly dried and then passes downward through theunloading-machine H, where the finished matches are removed, and thenceback to the sticking-machine, making a complete. circuit or cycle ofoperation. At each side of the sticking-machine the carrier-chain hangsslack, as at A, so that said machine and the unloading-machine mayoperate in- I termittentlythat is, so that the portions of.

the chain passing through these machines may be stopped and started toallow the splints to be inserted or removed without interfering with thecontinuous travel of the remainder of the chain.

I is the main driving-shaft, from which motion is taken to drive theseveral machines,

and a vertically-extending shaft J transmits motion from the main shaft,by means of a worm-gear J and gear J to a counter-shaft K, supported bybrackets from the ceiling, which counter-shaft drives, by means ofbevelgears L, short shafts provided at intervals along its length, uponwhich are secured the sprocket-wheels G. The carrier-chain is thusdriven at intervalsthroughout its length, and all motion is taken fromthe one main driv ing-shaft. The main driving-shaft I is supported bysuitable brackets from the floor and extends past the rear end (socalled for convenience of description) of the sticking-machine, as shownin Fig. 2, and motion is taken from this shaft to drive the machine byproviding a Worm 1, secured thereon in mesh with-a worm-gear 2 on avertical shaft 3, supported in bearing-brackets on the machineframe 4;.()n the upper end of this vertical shaft is secured a bevel-gear 5 inmesh with a bevel-gear 6 on the end of a shaft 7, mounted in hearings onthe frame and extending across the same, and secured on the shaft 7adjacent to the gear 6 is a gear 8 of large diameter, which is in meshwith a gear 9 of the same diameter and transmits motion to thestub-shaft 10, journaled at its outer end in a bracket extending fromthe frame and projecting through the frame at its opposite end. The gear9 in turn transmits motion to the cam-shaft 11 by being in mesh with acorresponding gear 12 on the outer endof said cam-shaft, and said gear12 transmits motion from the cam-shaft 11 to the cam-shaft 13 by meansof idlers 14 on the frame and a gear 15 of the same diameter as theother large gears secured on the outer end of said camshaft 13. mountedin hearings on the frame and extend across the same, the shaft 11 beingprovided inside the frame and near the side thereof shown in Fig. 3 witha forty-eight-toothed bevelgear 16, having sixteen teeth blank, whichgear transmits an intermittent motion, to a shaft 18, extendinglongitudinally of the frame at right angles to the cam-shaft by means ofa thirty-two-toothed bevel-gear 17 on the end of the shaft 18. On theouter end of the shaft 18 is loosely mounted a gear 19, and a clutch 20on the shaft is provided to secure said gear to the shaft to turntherewith, which gear 19 when so secured to the shaft transmits motion,by means of the idler 21, to

the gear 22 on the end of the sprocket-wheel shaft 23, mounted inbearings on the ends of brackets extending outward from the side of theframe and near the top thereof. opposite side of the frame (on the sideshown .in Fig. 2) is a similar sprocket-wheel shaft 24:,

each of said shafts 23 and 24: being provided at each end with a largesprocket-wheel 25 to engage and intermittently move that portion of themain carrier-chain A which passes through this sticking machine, saidchain The cam-shafts 11 and 13 are At the 4 passing transversely acrossthe top of the frame at the forward end thereof and beneath a heavy castplate 26, supported at each corner by posts on the frame, to which it isse cured by bolts, said plate forming a bed to back up the chain. Asshown in Fig. 5, the two sprocket-wheel shafts may be connected so thatboth will be positively driven by mounting a transverse shaft 192 inhearings on the frame and connecting the same by bevel gears to thesprocketwheel shafts. The section of chain to be loaded is thus relievedof all strain, and therefore should the chain stretch by the wearing ofits joints this will not prevent the centering of the plates composingthe chain, as the distance from the sprockets 25 at one side of themachine to those at the opposite side cannot vary, and the section ofchain between is supported and guided against lateral movement by theangle-iron guideways 193 on the plate 26. (See Fig. 8.)

\V'nen it is desirable to stop the stickingmachine on account of theunfinished matches which are still in the carrier-chain, the chaincannot be stopped without great waste. Therefore means are providedwhereby the mechanism for sticking the matches is disconnected from themain shaft and carrierrchain and other means provided for driving thecarrier, the one being thrown out of operative position and the otherthrown in by a single lever. The mechanism for this purpose consists inproviding a lever 27 for moving the clutch 20 to secure the gear 19 toits shaft or release the same, said lever being operated by a cam member28 on the end of the shaft 29, which extends longitudinally of theframe. near the floor and is provided at its opposite end with a pinionengaging with teeth on a rack-bar 30. A short shaft 31 at the side ofthe frame extends longitudinally toward a point opposite the verticalshaft 3 and is provided at one end with a pinion 32 to engage therack-bar and at its opposite end with an arm 33, connected by a link 34to a lever 35, connected to a clutch member 36 on the shaft 3 to operatethe same. The worm-gear 2 is loose on the shaft and drives the shaft 3by means of said clutch 36, so that when said clutch is disconnected andalso the clutch 20 the splint handling and sticking mechanism will standstill. These clutches are operated by means of a hand-lever 37 at oneside of the machine to move the rack-bar longitudinally, and thus rotatethe shafts 29 and 31 to throw the clutches.

To drive that portion of the main carrier A which passes through thesticking-machine when said machine is stopped, as just described, ashort vertical shaft 38, similar to the shaft 3, is provided at the sideof the ma-.

tending shaft 41 by bevel-gears 42, and sleeved on the opposite end ofthe shaft 41 is a sprocket-wheel engaged by a sprocket-chain engaging asimilar sprocket 44 on the shaft 23, which drives the carrier. Thesprocket 43 is locked to the shaft 41 by a clutch 45, said clutch beingmoved by a lever 46, which is operated by a cam 47 on the endv of ashaft 48, the opposite end of said shaft being provided with a pinion toengage the rack-bar 30, whereby when the rack-bar is movedlongitudinally the shaft 48 will be rotated and the clutch 4 5 operatedto release its sprocket when the sticking mechanism is thrown into gearandv to look its sprocket to the shaft 41 when the machine is thrown outof gear. The cam-shaft 11 is also driven from the righthand side of themachine, or the side shown in Fig. 3, by providing the shaft 41, whichis continuously driven, with a bevel-gear 49, which is in mesh with abevel-gear on a stubshaft-5(), journaled on the frame and provided witha gear 51 to transmit motion to a similar gear 52 on the end of thecam-shaft 11. The gear 51 is loose on the stub-shaft, and a clutch 53 isprovided to lock said gear to the shaft, which clutch is operated by alever 54, connected to the rack-bar 30, so that when said bar .is movedto throw the machine in and out of gear said clutch will also be thrownin or out.

Tothe extreme rear end of the machineframe 4 and extending verticallyupward therefrom is secured the frame 55, upon the upper end of whichthe hopper 56 is supported. The previously-prepared splints are put intothis hopper, which is supported upon the frame by trunnions 57,extending from its sides and engaging bearings in the brackets 58, saidbearings being such that the trunnions may move therein to allow thehopper to be vibrated by an eccentric attached thereto by an arm 59 orany other suitable means operating in timed relation to the othermechanism to shake the splints down into the transfer-boxes 60, whichlie closely together and form the bottom of the hopper. Thetransfer-boxes are independent rectangular boxes of a length to extendacross the hopper with their end walls directly beneath the side wallsof the hopper and of such a number that when lying side by side incontact with each other they will cover the bottom of the hopper, andeach is of a width slightly greater than the length of the splints.Transverse walls 61, spaced apart a distance considerably less than thelength of the splints, divide the boxes into compartments, so that thesplints can lie therein only in one direction, and the bottom of eachcompartment is formed by a door 62, provided with pins at one edge toengage the openings in ears on the box and form hinges to connect thedoors to the boxes. A longitudinallymovable bar 63 is secured to oneside of each boX by providing the bar with slots through which screwspass, and on the lower edge of this bar are formed hooks 64:, opening ina direction longitudinally of the box. One end of each door is extendedat 65 past the ear to which it is pivoted, so that when the doors areclosed and the bar is moved longitudinally said hooks will embrace theextensions 65 and hold the door closed and when moved in the oppositedirection the hooks will disengage the extensions and the doors willfall open in line with the partition-walls 61. The ends of the hooks 64are rounded slightly, so that when the doors are open and the bar ismoved the ends of the hooks will engage the extensions 65 at a distancefrom their pivots and swing the same closed. The side walls of thetransfer-boxes are extended beyond the end walls thereof and beyond thewalls of the hopper and engage and are guided by guide-plates 66,secured to the brackets 58, and are supported at each end by anangle-iron 67, secured to each guide plate and forming ways upon whichthe boxes slide, these ways being such a distance below the hopper thatthe upper edges of the boxes move so close to the lower edge of thehopper that the matches cannot escape between. The lower edge of thehopper is formed on a slant upward from its rear side, and the way 67 iscorrespondingly slanted upward, so that as the hopper is vibrated thetendency of the matches will be to work toward the rear of the hopper.Directly below the way 67 and parallel therewith is a second way 68,secured to said plate 66 and formed of angle-iron, with a flangeextending upward from its inner edge, and thus forming a groove betweensaid flange and the plate for the sprocket-chain 69, which is guidedtherein, and the upper edge of said flange forms the way to engage andsupport the boxes, a lug 70 being provided on the chain to engage eachbox after it is lowered from the upper to the lower way at the front endof the hopper and move the same to the rear end of said way, where it islifted by suitable mechanism to the upper way again and shoved inbeneath the hopper, the forcing in of the box at the rear end of thehopper forcing out a full box at the forward end thereof. The brackets58 are slotted longitudinally, and extending through said slots arestuds 71, movable therein to secure the operatingbars 72 to saidbrackets and allow the same to be moved longitudinally thereon. Each ofsaid bars is bent inward at the rear of said brackets, and pivoted atits rear end to the inner side of each, adjacent to said bend, is a dog73, free to rise, but held from falling below a horizontal position by apin 74:, so that when the box is raised from the lower to the upper wayand strikes the dogs before the bars 72 have reached the rear end oftheir stroke said dogs may rise to allow the box to come in line withthe upper way and will drop behind the box when the bar reaches the endof its stroke and on the forward move ment thereof will engage the boxand shove the same beneath the hopper. While the boxes are being takenfrom and inserted beneath the hopper the mechanism for shaking thehopper is inoperative; but when the boxes are in position they and thehopper are vibrated by said mechanism, and therefore it is necessary toprovide means for locking the boxes in position beneath the hopper. Thisconsists, at the forward end of the hopper, in vertically-movableslotted locking-bars 75, secured to the sides of the hopper by screwspassing through the slots thereof, which bars are 'adapted to fall bygravity into engagement with the forward box, with their lower endsbetween the projecting sides of the box, and on each bar is anoutwardly-projecting pin 76, adapted to be engaged by an incline on eachof the operating-bars 72 to lift the locking-bars out of engagement withthe box upon the rearward movement of the operating-bars. The boxes arelocked in the hopper at the rear end thereof by journaling a transverserock-shaft 77 on the rearwardlyextending side walls of the hopper andsecuring to this shaft, adjacent to the inner sides of the walls,downwardly-extending arms 78, to the lower ends of which is secured achannel-bar 79 to engage the rear side of the rear box, and on the outerends of said shaft are secured pinions 80, engaged by disks 81,journaled on the walls, and provided with gearteeth at one side toengage the pinions and ratchet-teeth at their opposite sides, adapted tobe engaged by pawls 82, carried by forwardly-extending arms 83 on theoperatingbars 72, one pawl to engage the disk and turn the same to turnthe rock-shaft and swing the bar 79 out of engagement with the box justbefore the operating-bars 72 reach the extreme of their rearwardmovement and the other pawl to turn the disk in the opposite directionto move the bar, into engagement with the box as the operating-bars nearthe forward end of their stroke. After being swung into engagement withthe box the locking-bar is held in that position by a springlatch 84 onthe wall of the hopper engaging the ratchet-teeth on the disk, and todisengage this latch from the disk to allow the disk to be turned by thepawl at the opposite side thereof a lug 85 is provided on the latch inline with a lug on the arm 83, each so positioned that the latch will bedisengaged by the engagement of said lugs before the pawl 82 engagessaid disk.

Secured to a cross-bar of the frame, near each side thereof, are therearwardly-extending brackets 86, having vertical bearings forvertically-movable bars 87, to the forward side of which are secured theforwardly-extending arms 88 to receive the boxes as they are carriedtoward the rear of the machine by the s procket-chains 69. These armsextend in the IIO path of said chains when the bars 87 are in theirlowered position, so that the boxes slide directly onto these arms fromthe chains, which turn around sprocket-wheels 89 on a shaft 90,extending across the frame directly beneath. To raise the bars 87 afterthe box has been delivered by the chains to the arms, cams 91, mountedupon a transverse shaft 92, are provided to engage the lower ends ofsaid bars and raise the same in timed relation to the movement of theother parts.

Journaled in hearings on the frame adjacent to the forward end of thelower way 68 is a shaft 93, extending across the frame and provided ateach end adjacent to the outer side of the frame with a cam 94, uponwhich cams rests a transverse bar 95, said bar being guided by guides96, secured to the frame and rising or falling with a free verticalmovement in said guides as the cams revolve and by their shape raise thebar or allow it to fall by its own gravity. Attached to the bar to riseand fall therewith by being provided with a hook to fit over the bar andextending laterally therefrom toward the ends of the ways are thereceiving-brackets 97 to receive the boxes from the upper way and lowerthem to the lower way, each of said brackets consist ing of an upper anda lower parallel arm, the lower arm forminga continuation of or lying inthe plane of the upper way when the brackets are raised and of the lowerway when lowered, so that when theforward box in the hopper is movedforward by the catches 98 on the forward ends of the operating-bars 72,provided to engage the rear side 'of said box when the said bars are atthe rear ends of their strokes, said box will be carried forwarddirectly into said bracket. Brackets 99 are secured to the framedirectly below the brackets 97 to support the receiving-brackets intheir lowered position in line with the lower way and in such a positionthat the lugs 70 on the sprocket-chains 69 will engage the box as theypass over the sprocket-wheels 100 on the shaft 101 and move the box outof the bracket and upon the lower way.

Motion is transmitted to the splint-handling mechanism by a large gear102, in .mesh with the large gear 8, and through the bevel-gears 103 toa vertical shaft 104, provided at its upper end with a bevel-gear inmesh with a bevelgear on a transverse shaft 105 on the frame. On the endof the shaft 105 is a gear 106, from which motion is transmitted to thecam-shaft 93 by means of an idler 107 and a gear 108 on the end of saidcam shaft, and at the opposite side of said gear 106 in mesh therewithis a pinion 109, secured on the end of a shaft 110, extending across theframe and provided at'its opposite end with a gear'lll, from whichmotion is transmitted by a train of gearing 112 to the shaft 90 toactuate the sprocket-chains 69. The cam-shaft 92 is actuated by means ofa gear 113 on the end there- Q of, to which motion is transmitted fromthe pinion 109 by means of an idler 114, and the operating-bars 72 areeach moved longitudinally by a lever 115', pivoted intermediate its endsupon the shaft 110 and forked at its upper end to engage a pin 116 onthe bar and at its lower end to embrace an eccentric 117 on a shaft 118,extending across the frame. A bracket on the frame is provided with abearing for a short shaft 119, upon one end of which is secured a largegear to engage a pinion on the shaft 118 and transmit motion thereto,and on the opposite end of said shaft 119 is a pinion 121, to whichmotion is intermittently imparted by a sector 122 on the shaft 105, thesectors and gears being so proportioned that at every revolution of theshaft 105 the shaft 118 is turned to move the operating-bars back andforth once, which movement is accomplished during a very small portionof the revolution of the shaft 105. The sprocket-chains and cam-shaftsfor operating the mechanism for handling the boxes are all driven fromthe same shaft 105 and in timed relation to the movement of theoperating-bars.

Extending vertically beneath the bracket 97 in line with thetransfer-box thereon, is a magazine 123 of a width a trifle greater thanthe length of the splints to receive the splints from said box when thesame are released by the opening of the doors in its bottom. To move thelocking-bar 63 of each box longitudinally to release the doors 62,plates 124 are secured to the bar 95 adjacent to the ends of the boxbeing lowered, which plates are provided each with an incline, bothinclines extending in the same direction and adapted to engage the endsof the bar 63. The cams 94 are each provided with an abrupt shoulder125, so that as said cams are turned and the bar slides over the surfacethereof the box is lowered gradually until it is within a very shortdistance of the supporting-bracket 99, when said bar slips off theshoulders, thus letting the box drop suddenly upon the said bracket, andas the brackets 97 are attached to said bar by being hooked over it thebar is free to fall still farther after the bracket 97 has been stoppedby the bracket 99, the shoulder being deep enough to allow it to fallsome distance. The plates 124 are rigidly secured to the bar and fallwith it after the box has been stopped, and thus the incline on theplate at one end of the box is brought into contact with the end of thebar 63 and moves the'same longitudinally, releasing the doors. The jargiven the box by falling upon the supporting-bracket insures the openingof the doors and the dumping of its contents into the magazine. The cams94 continuing to turn, the bar will again be raised, and the incline onthe plate at the opposite end of the bar engages the lower corner ofsaid bar 63, and'as the plate is raised the incline forces the IIO barlongitudinally in a direction opposite to that in which it was movedwhen the box was lowered, and the doors are thus closed before the baragain engages the hooks of the brackets 97 to raise the same. The lugson the chains engage the boX and move the same out of the bracketsbefore they are raised by the bar. The magazine 1.23 is pivotallysupported at its lower end by being secured to a rock-shaft 126, mountedin hearings on the ends of arms 127, pivotally secured to the frame 4 attheir opposite ends, and within both the upper and lower ends of saidmagazine are transverse partitions 128 to hold the splints straight, thepartitions at the lower end being provided with ledges projectinglaterally therefrom into the space between, to in a measure support thecolumn of splints in each space and take the weight of the splints aboveoff those in the bottom. Pivotally supported at its lower end upon therock-shaft 126 to turn thereon is a second or tube magazine 129, adaptedto be turned up fairly against the front side of the rear magazine, theupper portion of said tube-magazine being formed of a board for thepurpose of closing the front side of the rear magazine, and the lowerportion consists of two parallel plates 130, spaced apart,with tubes 131between opening through the plates and brazed therein at their ends,each of which tubes is of a size and length to take in a match-splint.The rear ends of these tubes open directly into the rear magazine, andthe forward ends of the same are closed by aplate 132, provided withopenings adapted to register with the ends of said tubes when moveddiagonally in its guides to so register, a cam 133, sleeved on therock-shaft126, being provided to move the plate in one direction and acam-hook 134 to engage a hook 135 on the plate and move the same in theopposite direction, said cam and hook being actuated in timed relationto the movement of the magazine by a sprocket-wheel driven in anysuitable manner. When the magazine 123 has been sufficiently filled withsplints by the transfer-boxes, both magazines are turned from theirvertical to a horizontal position with the upper or outer end of thetube-magazine resting upon supports on the plate 26, and then both arevibrated to shake the splints from magazine 123 into the tubes ofmagazine 129. After the tubes are filled both magazines are turned totheir vertical position, it being necessary to lift the tube-magazinewith the other to prevent the remaining splints in the rear magazinefrom falling out, and then the tube-magazine is again lowered and theplate 132 moved to allow the splints therein to pass downward throughthe openings in the plate. The tube-magazine is then vibrated todischarge its splints and is again raised to its perpendicular positionagainst the forward side of the rear magazine, when more splints aresupplied to the rear magazine the neat transfer-boa and the iii-ragazines vibrated to shake the splints down and straighten them out.

The foregoing operation of raising and lowering the magazines andshaking the same all in timed relation to the movement of the otherparts of the machine is accomplished by employing the followingmechanism: To turn the magazine 123 from its vertical position to ahorizontal and back again, a gear 136 is secured to one end of therock-shaft 126 outside the frame, and on the short shaft 10, adjacent tothe gear 9, is a gear 137 of a seventytwo-tooth size, but having butseven teeth, which teeth engage the forward side of the gear 136 tolower said magazine, and engaging the rear side of said gear to raisesaid magazine is the gear 138 on the shaft 7, which gear is a duplicateof the gear 137.

The magazine 129 is turned, as above described, by providing gears 139,which are sleeved upon the rock-shaft 126, at each side thereof, andprovided each with a shank to which the magazine is secured, so thatsaid gears will operate the magazine, and both will turn together freelyupon said rock-shaft. (See Fig. 6.) Secured upon the shaft 7 just insidethe frame at each side are the gears 140 of a seventy-two-tooth sizehaving seven teeth and twenty-one blank and seven teeth and thirty-sevenblank to engage the gears 139 at their rear side and raise the magazinetwice during each revolution of said gear 140. To engage the gears 139at their forward side and lower the magazine twice during each cycle ofoperation, gears 141, also of aseventytwo-tooth size, are provided,having seven teeth and thirty-three blank and seven teeth andtwenty-five blank, one of said gears being secured to the inner end ofthe short shaft 10 and the other to the inner end of a similar shortshaft 142 at the opposite side of the machine. (See Fig. 3.) The shaft142 is driven by a large gear 143 on its outer end in mesh with a likegear 144 on the outer end of the shaft 7.

As previously described, the rock-shaft 126 is mounted in bearings onthe ends of arms 127, pivotally secured at their forward ends to theframe, and therefore the magazines may be raised slightly or vibrated byraising the free ends of said arms. For this purpose each arm 127 isprovided at its free end with a downwardly-extending pawl 145, rigidlysecured thereto, and secured to a shaft extending across the frame areratchet-wheels 146 to engage the pawls, and as the ratchets are turnedand the pawl slips over the teeth the arms will be raised and loweredslightly and the magazines vibrated. On the same shaft with theratchet-wheels is secured a pinion 147, and mounted in bearings on theframe and extending across the same directly beneath the ratchet-wheelsis a shaft 148, provided with a gear in mesh with the pinion'147 IIO

